RAF LAKENHEATH : Parking & Litter Complaints

[slogen51]

I don't want to sound like a "wet" but i think rightly or wrongly some of the younger generation are 'lost' - good jobs are hard to find, house prices are rediculous. I sometimes think blatant littering is a puerile form of rebellion.

At Farnborough a lot of litter would appear over night along with bottles and various detritus from groups of boys and girls out on the pee.

[Bob Tomlin]

Littering:- no excuse for it.
Very sloppy, selfish and ignorant to just dump your rubbish anywhere, rather than taking some responsibility for yourself and having some consideration for others and the environment and just taking it home with you if you can't find a bin.
See it more and more these days sadly. Not confined to anywhere in particular. Most pull-ins and verges in the countryside have some garbage dumped in them.
The same applies to blocking access and parking with no regard for others, again, you see that sort of thing everywhere now. It's all part of the 'me first' culture and never mind the rest.

I agree that it's a real shame if 'regular' parking slots like the forest entrance are threatened with closure due to this sort of thing and people need to get a grip on themselves to stop this happening.
However, I don't think it's right to say that the people who've come to get a glimpse of the F35s are somehow 'less entitled' and are a form of 'sub-enthusiast' or something, just because they are not on the same fence week after week.
Come on guys - is that really fair?
Not everyone has the opportunity or time to be able to sit and watch aircraft day after day or week on week.
They might have jobs that don't allow this or live at distances too great to travel.
It was same at Leeming with the French visitors regarding a certain field and at Coningsby, with the Flankers, etc. (It was even the case at Manchester when the A380 first showed -you don't see the same crowds for that now and you won't see them in a year or two when the F35 is commonplace -it'll be the retired Eagle that'll be the attraction then).
You can't blame people for wanting to get a look at something interesting and unusual and I'm sure some of you'd be doing the same if, say a carrier parked up in Cardigan bay and the Marines were using Valley as an FOB or something?
The fact that they've turned up now hints that they're very probably enthusiasts themselves, as why else would they be there?

Yes it's got to be annoying when people turn up 'en masse', problems occur and the threat of a regular access point being closed happens and I do sympathise with you if you are a regular and I also despair at the culprits.
I don't want to see closures any more than anyone else on here as I sometimes get a chance to come out and see things there myself (not this year so far though!).
This isn't because the people that come aren't enthusiasts and have a lesser desire to see the planes. This is because some of those among us are ignorant, lazy and selfish.
This isn't 'someone else' causing the problem - it's 'us'. Not all of us. Just an ignorant few, who chose to spoil things for others.
Be better than they are. It's part of the countryside code to pick up litter that's not your own. Now we know there's a problem, take a bin bag. If you see litter pick it up. You'll be doing everyone a favour and thank you and kudos for that.

Bob.

[J@BRX]

I think this message from Bob is a well poised post. I am sure most would agree with him on this one. Cheers Bob. I look forward to 300 mile round trip to Suffolk again soon!

[lhrlima]

Been following this thread and despite the topic, it has provided some very balanced and thought provoking comments!

For what it's worth, I agree with the opinions that the whole attitude of people nowadays have changed, full stop. I would however like to think that enthusiasts, knowing what we do about FOD etc. and the risk of losing valuable viewing spots, would be considerate when it comes to their own litter.

As an aside, I will be at Lakenheath on Thursday, my first trip up for a year or so, but I won't be parking like a moron or leaving my litter behind!

If anyone sees a fat bloke in a black Shogun struggling to use a camera, come and say hello cos it'll be me!

Regards,
Steve.

[Andy_99]

As usual something interesting turn's up, people who'd normally show no interest arrive can't find anywhere sensible to park but don't spare a thought for everyone else, chuck litter everywhere & spoil it for the considerate of us out there.

I don't count myself as a regular but when I do visit ( a couple of times a year) I will make sure I arrive early enough to park considerately (When the F22's were over I arrived at 7:15am), keep hold of all my litter (FOD Everyone) & respect where I am.

When the F22's were over it was chaos. On the day I visited I stayed until the bitter end & picked up a whole carrier bag of detritus from the field under the approach, took it away with me & disposed of it at the Maccy D's I stopped at on my way up North.

When you arrive early do you park in the official parking area or in the forest entrance?

Viewing Area for me in the actual car park as well. God provided me with legs to get to where I need, absolutely no offence intended against those less fortunate.

[paddyboy]

Hi Guys

Me and the GRS have a base tour on Friday 5th May, and I will be at the viewing area early doors (0700 latest)

I like to see (hopefully) a few movements before we all go in

If anyone wants to turn up and have a chat, or even beat me up (verbally), I will be about

Very best regards, and thanks again for your support

Paddyboy

[Mattaddiction]

And another moan what about the people standing in the field under the approach taking photos, underside of planes? I thought that area was out of bounds.

I was always told it was - if standing among the landing lights - by members of this club while stood talking at LN (not that i particularly want to stand under a 20 ton jet on finals anyway) They said it can antagonise the base and cause bad feeling, so i've never gone anywhere near - and plus you have a large enough field to go many other areas anyway. But i guess if doing it at the moment was a problem then the police would've been along for a chat.

Agree on the rubbish totally, just don't understand some people.. I always try and clean up after myself and some times bits of others..... It's the world / county over... I just don't understand people who can't fathom how a bin works these days... ...

Also there must be a great opportunity for the base to do a bit of public engagement and send a few people out side the fence to do some PR and all when it's busy no? A little traffic management, rubbish management and engage with the public and locals, someone there missing a trick no?

So what's the issue use standing under the approach, provided it's on public land (no sympathy if it's not...I believe the lights are fenced off etc ), like the side of the road? My risk if I'm standing under a jet and if falls out of the sky (one I'm more than happy to take on my own shoulders on the odd occasion I have ventured round there), though I would expect the road would be closed if it was a genuine safety concern?! I would hope the pilots are more than capable of safely landing with people under the flight path, they are trained to operate under fire etc...... ?!

m

[slogen51]

Today at the viewing area everyone was well behaved , rubbish was going into the full up bins etc. I just chuck my junk on the back seat and bin it at home.

The base does do a good PR job - after all the viewing area exists in the first place.

I do also go into the field under 24 - I believe it is tolerated as long as it not being used for farm animals.

[Andy_99]

Today at the viewing area everyone was well behaved , rubbish was going into the full up bins etc. I just chuck my junk on the back seat and bin it at home.

The base does do a good PR job - after all the viewing area exists in the first place.

I do also go into the field under 24 - I believe it is tolerated as long as it not being used for farm animals.

Is that the field the opposite side of the main road ? I think the field immediately next to the viewing area is off limits & this is where the concerns lie.

I like the field on the other side of the Brandon road (if thats what it's called) that runs up to the forest, The lights are indeed fenced off in this field & I think access is tolerated provided no animals are present.

TBH I'll always stand to one side of the lights or the other as there's better angles for pictures.

Thats the field I did a quick litter pick on when the Raptors were over people were dumping rubbish all over it & walking away.

[Hawkwind26]

[quote="Mattaddiction"][quote="The Phantom"][quote="davekench"]
Also there must be a great opportunity for the base to do a bit of public engagement and send a few people out side the fence to do some PR and all when it's busy no? A little traffic management, rubbish management and engage with the public and locals, someone there missing a trick no?

Interesting idea in these times of increased security and austerity / budget cutbacks. Not for one minute would I expect any uniformed USAF personnel to venture outside the base and chat with strangers never mind litter pick or direct traffic. Today there were cars parked along the main road on a solid white line underneath the landing path. No evidence seen by me of enforcement by the appropriate authority though on "site".
However a much more relaxed approach today by most of those present today, I enjoyed the experience and banter .
Safety of all staff and family must always be paramount, no matter what......and also for enthusiasts to remember why this Base is here - long may we enjoy this privilege. Luckily I live 35 miles away in North Norfolk and am most fortunate to see and hear a lot of activity.
Tricks are best kept to magicians perhaps.
Regards

[grumpy616]

Hi Guys

Me and the GRS have a base tour on Friday 5th May, and I will be at the viewing area early doors (0700 latest)

I like to see (hopefully) a few movements before we all go in

If anyone wants to turn up and have a chat, or even beat me up (verbally), I will be about

I'll be there about the same time, so you then Paddy.

Pete

[CHINOOKER]

Have to agree with many on here who are tending to find "littering" a generational habit! I was on the A40 last week and from a car several places in front of me,was a whole stream of litter coming out of the windows....McDonalds boxes and wrappers etc.....on passing the car it was not a group of yobs/teenagers etc,but a family group,of which the children were no older than 8-10. Would loved to have owned a dash-cam at the time and posted it on the Internet.....These people do need to be educated more in my opinion.

[paddyboy]

Hi Peeps

Everything that has been posted has justified, totally, my initial rant

Thanks, and looking forward to the 5th

Paddyboy

[gramp.t]

Paddyboy, don't think your rant needs justification! it's quite clear from the numbers of posts on this, that we all feel the same frustration and bewilderment!

[TeeJay]

I have got to say that SO FAR things seem ok at Lakenheath. There isn't the amount of litter there was with Raptors.
But there isn't the amount of people there. Sure it's busy, but so many do not like the 'Daves' it's not a mad as Raptors deployment. Last night at the end of the day the bins were emptied and another spare bag tied to the fence. So no excuses. Last year folk had the excuse of 'all the bins were full and not emptied' which was noticeably true.

But keep up the pressure and happy viewing every one.

Trev

[starfighter]

After seeing the mess everywhere on Monday and Tuesday made the decision to have a go at trying to
clean things up , so on Saturday after the French C-160 left the Hall started with Folly Rd ,not to bad one carrier bag.
Things took a turn for the worse at ,forest gate one large refugee sack and I didn't go over in field by landing lights.
Then lane to farm house and car park , two more large sacks , best area from where the eggs are on sale to farm gates,
worse the car park itself,biggest problem coffee cups and lids.
So hopefully much better and it will stay like it ,think most who want to see the the 35s have been so may quite down
a bit , time will tell.

Steve.

[steamy]

"flooded with f*cking normals"

doesn't matter what hobby you're into, you'll always have the self elitists who can't stand anyone having a similar interest, or think because they have spent x amount of hours invested in it that someone unfamiliar is less entitled/ less interested....

I'd love to spend my day at a fence watching planes, but I can't, simple as...

I did get that vibe stopping at the spotters viewing point at Lakenheath, the few times I've been.. mind you, it's usually mid morning, mid week, so it's probably filled with regulars anyway unless something unusual is in.

[Andy_99]

After seeing the mess everywhere on Monday and Tuesday made the decision to have a go at trying to
clean things up , so on Saturday after the French C-160 left the Hall started with Folly Rd ,not to bad one carrier bag.
Things took a turn for the worse at ,forest gate one large refugee sack and I didn't go over in field by landing lights.
Then lane to farm house and car park , two more large sacks , best area from where the eggs are on sale to farm gates,
worse the car park itself,biggest problem coffee cups and lids.
So hopefully much better and it will stay like it ,think most who want to see the the 35s have been so may quite down
a bit , time will tell.

Steve.

Well done that man

[paddyboy]

Well done that man indeed

I PM'D 'Chriscwmbran', and apologised, if I had caused any unintentional offence a few days ago, but have received no reply

Thanks yet again for all your support

Paddyboy